The Naming of States

Norm has a new poll, this one on favourite names of US states. I gave him a dig in the ribs yesterday for stacking the deck by comparing Colorado and Tennessee with Surrey and Essex – and he promptly conceded that stacking was exactly what he had done to the deck. But still, he’s right of course – US state names are a joy. I mentally run through some of my favourites myself at odd moments. (Mind you – Bourgogne, Umbria, Cataluña – the US isn’t the only place with some good names. Saskatchewan. Connemarra. Okay I’ll stop.)

So I’ve picked my five. I’m not spoiling anything by giving them now, because Norm compiles stats, so we don’t know whose favourites are which, and I’m sure you long to know which are mine. So I’ll tell you. These are names, remember, nothing to do with the quality of the states themselves.

21 Responses to “The Naming of States”

It’s hard to stick to five. How about Massachusetts, which took me almost as long to learn how to spell as Mississippi? And Pennsylvania, where I reside — “Penn’s woods.” He would be astonished to see them now.

Ohio, Louisiana, Arizona, Iowa are all lovely words, vowelly and singable, and Mississippi is just a wonderful word! Arizona has a “z”, which is always good. It was a toss up between Louisiana and Hawaii, but Hawaii sings much like Iowa, so I let Louisiana in.

There is a song, some bluesy folky song, which is just a string of names of places in New Jersey. Manalapan, Totowa, Rahway, dozens of great words. Anyone recall that song?

Don’t recall the song, but I’ve been to Rahway once. And I grew up a few miles from Hopewell, and a mile from a crossroads with a couple of shops and a few houses dignified with the name of Blawenburg.

I like US State names as well and I know that UK counties are a bit dull. However I still thnk that the UK has the edge on great names for towns. Who can beat Chilton Cantelo, Wyke Champflower, Auchterarderie or (my favourite) Queen Camel?

Yeah, boy, California is certainly riddled with pesky saints. Frank, Quentin, Rose, Bernie, Barb, Rafe, Diego, José – there’s just no end to the bastards. And what about living in ‘The Angels’?! Blargh.